A study on community knowledge, beliefs and attitudes on leprosy in Ang Mo Kio, Singapore

Abstract

The social re-integration of leprosy patients is an important challenge in the post-elimination phase of the W.H.O Leprosy Elimination Programme. This cross sectional study carried out on a representative sample of 400 adults in Ang Mo Kio assessed the community's knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards leprosy in Singapore. Overall, 55.8 % of the respondents had moderate to high knowledge of leprosy. A significant number believed that leprosy was incurable (32.3 %), spread easily (41.3 %) and that leprosy-related deformities were inevitable (48.5 %). These misconceptions were strongly associated with stigmatising attitudes towards leprosy which were prevalent among most respondents (87.8 %). More respondents were willing to accept a family member with leprosy (65.5 %), compared to a friend (34.3 %) or an unknown person (19.8 %) affected by leprosy. A lack of knowledge and misconceptions regarding leprosy were associated with stigmatising attitudes towards persons affected by leprosy. The social re-integration of leprosy patients could be facilitated by community education that alleviates misconceptions and leprosy stigma.